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TEHRAN: Iran test-fired on Monday a missile which defence analysts have said could hit Israel and US bases in the Gulf region, Geo News reported.It said the surface-to-surface Shahab 3 missile was tested during missile manoeuvres by the elite Revolutionary Guards that got under way on Sunday. Iranian officials have said the Shahab 3, which was last tested in mid-2008, can travel about 2,000 km.The manoeuvres coincide with increased tension in Iran's nuclear dispute with the West, after last week's disclosure by Tehran that it is building a second uranium enrichment plant.

Monday, September 28, 2009 MIRZAPUR: Young boys climbed trees and villagers crowded rooftops in a tiny dusty village in northern India Sunday to catch a glimpse of Academy Award winner Julia Roberts shooting her new film, "Eat, Pray, Love."Scores of policemen, armed with bamboo sticks, private guards and plainclothes security guards kept curious visitors at bay as the "Pretty Woman" star walked about the sets created at Mirzapur village, 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of the Indian capital, New Delhi. Huge black screens protected the sets from television crews and photographers.Roberts was dressed in a turquoise blue tunic and loose pajamas, the traditional clothes worn by millions of Indian women. In the film, she plays the part of an American woman who leaves behind a troubled marriage and sets out on a journey of self-discovery.Newspapers and television stations in India have been covering Roberts' every move since she arrived in India accompanied by her thr...

Monday, September 28, 2009 WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama called German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday to offer warm congratulations on her sweeping reelection victory, the White House said.Obama and Merkel "agreed that with the election of a strong German government, our cooperation will further strengthen and deepen," according a statement released by the White House press office."The United States and Germany are close allies, and partner together around the world to promote freedom, security and prosperity," the statement read.Obama "looks forward to continued close cooperation with Chancellor Merkel to address our common challenges in the years ahead," it added.Preliminary results showed the 55-year-old Merkel's conservative Christian Union bloc (CDU/CSU) as the clear winners with about 33.5 percent of the vote.

Monday, September 28, 2009 BERLIN: German voters gave Chancellor Angela Merkel a second term on Sunday and a mandate to partner with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) in a government that will rein in the role of the state in Europe's largest economy.Merkel, 55, has ruled for the past four years in a "grand coalition" with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), an awkward partnership of traditional rivals.The election result frees her from the shackles of that marriage of convenience, allowing her to form the center-right government she has argued is best placed to nurture Germany back to health after its worst recession in the post-war era.Merkel, who narrowly squeezed into power in 2005, appeared relieved at her clear-cut victory in an election which pollsters had predicted could again be a cliffhanger."What counts for me is that we got a change in the shape of the government," she told supporters who chanted "Angie, Angie" as she strode up to ...

CENTURION: Australia and India received one point each after the match between the two teams was abandoned due to heavy rain on Monday.Rain interrupted Australian batting charge against India when they were on 234 runs for four wickets in 42.3 overs in the day/night match in Group A of the ICC Champions Trophy here at SuperSport Stadium.

Monday, September 28, 2009 CENTURION: England defeated South Africa by 22 runs, restricting them at 301-9 in the day/night match here at the Super Sport Park on Sunday.Chasing a difficult target of 324 runs, South Africa could not achieve despite a fine hundred by their captain Graeme Smith who opened the innings and got out as ninth victim batsman, scoring 141from 133 balls with 16 fours.AB de Villiers made 36 while no other batsman could make any significant contribution.For England, James Anderson and Stuart Broad claimed three wickets each Earlier, captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and decided to bat first after which England piled up a huge total of 323 runs for the loss of eight wickets to set an improbable target for the hosts.Owais Shah made 98 from 89 balls and smashed six sixes and five fours while Paul Collingwood scored 82 off 94 balls with six fours and a six. Both added 163 runs for the third wicket partnership.Eoin Morgan also hit a hurricane 67 off 34 balls, smashing ...

CENTURION: Shoaib Malikand Mohammad Yousuf shared a record fourth-wicket stand to help Pakistan beat India by 54 runs on Saturday to reach the Champions Trophy semi-finals. Pakistan compiled 302 for nine after winning the toss and batting before restricting their arch rivals to 248 all out. The victory led Pakistan to the top of Group A with four points from two matches ahead of Australia on two. India and West Indies have no points. Shoaib (128) and Yousuf (87) put on 206 in 193 balls, the biggest stand for any wicket in the Champions Trophy and a fourth-wicket record for Pakistan. The previous record in the competition was 192 for the first wicket, shared by Indians Virender Sehwag and Saurav Ganguly against England in Colombo in 2002 and Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds for West Indies against Bangladesh in Southampton in 2004.Pakistan's previous best for the fourth wicket was an unbroken stand of 198 between Kamran Akmal and Misbah ul-Haq against Australia in Abu Dhabi earlier this...

Sunday, September 27, 2009 JOHANNESBURG: New Zealand astonishingly defeated Sri Lanka by 38 runs in their Group B match of the ICC Champions Trophy here at the New Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.Chasing a difficult target of 316 runs, Sri Lanka batted well but could not reach the target as they were all out for 277 in 46.4 overs.Despite a good opening stand of 66 runs between Sanath Jayasuriya (24) and Tillekaratne Dillshan (41), Sri Lanka began losing wickets at regular intervals and soon they were reeling at 141 for six. However, former captain Mahela Jayawardene stood firm and along together with Nuwan Kulasekera took the score to 219 adding 78 for the seventh wicket.Jayawardene made 77 while Kulasekera remained not out on 57.For New Zealand, Kyle Mills claimed three wickets while Daryl Tuffey, James Franklin and Daniel Vettori took two wickets each.Earlier, New Zealand batsmen displayed brilliant batting performance by plundering a mammoth score of 315 runs against Sri Lanka here at t...

Monday, September 28, 2009 WASHINGTON: World Bank President Robert Zoellick on Sunday warned that the United States should not "take for granted" the US dollar's role as pre-eminent global reserve currency."The United States would be mistaken to take for granted the dollar's place as the world's predominant reserve currency, Zoellick said, in excerpts of a speech to be delivered Monday."Looking forward, there will increasingly be other options to the dollar," Zoellick said in the address to be given at Washington's John's Hopkins University.His speech on Monday comes ahead of World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual meetings in Istanbul, Turkey early next month.Addressing the recent global economic crisis, he faulted the world's central banks for having "failed to address risks building in the new economy," although in the case of Washington's Federal Reserve Bank, he said, "it will be difficult to vest the in...